Means or apparatus in or relating to the manufacture of iron and other metals.



A. -E.,BOURGOUD. MEANS 0R APPARATUS IN OR RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND OTHER METALS.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.15, 1911.

s SHEETSSHEFT 1.

v A. E. BOURGOUD. MEANS 0E APPARATUS IN OR RELATING .TO THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND OTHER METALS.

APPLICATION FILED 1156.15, 1911.

' Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

inven/fa f A. E. BOUROOUD. Mmrv: m; APMRATUS m uh RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF mom AND OTHER METALS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.15,1911. 1 ,086, 1 34:. Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

I I a SHEETS-SHEET 3..

2%. W WW UNITED srrAr s PATENT orsron;

AUGUs'rIN EruLIoBoUEooUD, 01 LONDON, ENGLAND.

MEANS on APPARATUS IN on EELAiIING 'ro THE MANUFACTURE or IRON AND OTHER 'ME'r Ls.

Original application filed December 27,

1 all le/m it may concern of the kind wherein metal is obtained from Be it known that I, AUGUsTIN Eanmo BOURCOUD, a subject of the King of Spain, residing at London, England, have invented Improved Means or Apparatusin or Relating to the-Manufacture of Iron and other Metals, of which the following is a specifi cation. v p This invention relates to apparatus adapted for carrying out a closed cyclic process its .ore by gaseous reducing agents, mainly carbonaceous, and resulting carbon dioxid is regenerated for re-use by incandescent carbon, the reduction process and the regenerative process taking place together in a closed cycle, or the regenerative process taking place separately-in a closed and independent cycle, or thetwo processes taking plate together in any desired proportionate rate so that the proportion of carbon dioxid mixed with the carbon monoxid constitutmg the reducing gas can be controlled to suit .varying circumstances.

The present invention, is a division with same date of priority of application Serial No. 599,467 and relates to means or apparatus suitable for carrying out the process forming the subject of such application.

The invention will be described mainly as applied toiron ores for which it is specially applicable. According thereto, means are provided whereby instead of supplying the charge in comparatively large pieces to a shaft furnaceand causing the reducing gas trollet amount of-carbon dioxid, can becaused to flowv over and'in contact with the continuously agitated stream of material treated, whereby the charge and the reducmg gas'are brought- 1nto intimate contact and the ore reduced inan eifective and comparatively quick manner. melting furnaces, preferably electric, are provided into which the reduced ore with any associated gangue and flux are delivered 7 y and wherein they are melted and the metal I charge into the as prevented, Any sulfur It One or more specification of Letters Patent.

ganic matter.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914,

1910, Serial No, 599,467. Divided and this application filed December 15, 1911. Serial No. 665,876.

separated and wherein the metal may, if-de- 'sired, be further treated to' modify its character.

The ore to be treated commonly contains varlous impurities, for examples compounds of phosphorus, sulfur, arsenic, manganese, chromium and silicon, and moisture and or- The reducing. gas also co1nmonly contains hydrogen, or hydrogen yieldmg substances or water, which, on decomposition, yields hydrogen. and also sulfur dioxid. Of these impurities it has been found that hydrogen in particular causes, whenever present in the circulating gas, serious complications in the metallurgical reactions that cannot be allowed for or foreseen. Again, at temperatures below 7 C.

(seven hundred and fifty degrees centigrade), 1ron ore absorbs almost the whole of any sulfur presentin the reducing gas, such sulfur mostly passing into the iron obtained instead of into the lime flux used. Vhen both hydrogen and phosphoric acid are present, they are apt to first combine and afterward decompose, the phosphorus passing into the iron. On-the other hand, miX tures of. carbon monoxid and carbon dioxid that are free from hydrogen, exert no ac tion 'on phosphorous compounds, or manganous oxid (M110), or arseniates, or chro mium oxids or silica. Furthermore, reactions between iron ores and pure mixtures of carbon monoxid and dioxid gases, in varylng ratio and at different temperatures, and likewise between the said gases and incandescent carbon, can be separately plotted in advance by curves, so that any predetermined and desired result can be attained.

To avoid. as 'far as possible, the above mentioned disadvantages and to obtain the advantages set forth, moisture, organic mat ter or volatile impurities present in the charge to be treated are eliminated, as fa, as possible, by means, as a rotary furnace, for so heating the charge with hot air. that it can be delivered ina dr v, purified and hot condition to the reduction furnace. I'lydrogen can be jn'eventcd from entering the reducing [gas from the regenerator by feeding the latter with thoroughly dry and hot coke. In this way the reducing gas employed will be rendered free from and will be maintained free from hydrogen and the introduction of volatile impurities from the in the gas from the fuel can be eliminated, when necessary, before the gas reaches-the charge, by a device charged with sulfur e2;- tracting material. The reducing gas being free from hydrogen, oxidized foreign bodies in-the charge not affected by carbon oxid gases alone, pass OK in the slag, thus preventing useless expenditures of chemical energy besides avoiding impurity in the product. Should small quantities of sulfur have escaped elimination from the charge in the preheating furnace, the basic nature of the melting furnace treatment on the mixed spongy metal, flux and gangue will entirely remove such sulfur.

The satisfy t 1e various heat requirements, of the described process and so that waste heat from onev portion is utilized in another whereby the under-mentioned features, which govern the nature of the results ob-v tained, are under complete control, namely: A. The composition and temperature of the gases and the temperature of the charge entering the reducing furnace. B. The volume of gas passed through thegas circulatin conduit and the quantity of ore reduced per unit period; and C. The tem perature and composition of the gas leaving the reducing. furnace and which determine the treatment of'the gas before it is again admitted to the reduction furnace.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows diagrammatically,in plan, one arrangement according to the invent-ion. Fig 2 shows in plan plant generally similar to that in "Fig. 1 but with additional means for raising steam, driving engines 2 and generators 3. Fig. 3 is also a plan view wherein steam. raising and utilizing means shown in Fig. 2 are substituted by a steam raising or air heating device. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of a gas tight joint suit-able for the ends of the rotary furnace. Figs. 5, 6 "and 7 are vertical sections showing 'means for discharging the metal from the rotary reducing furnace and delivering it to the electric melting furnaces.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, h and r are respectively a long inclined rotary reducing furnace, and a coke regenerator which, togetherwith pipes 7L 71, h form a closed gas circulating conduit.

Z) and c are principal heating stoves arranged to respectively heat the gases be fore entering and after leaving the regenerator r.

' b and b are valves in the pipes that respectively supply combustible gas and air to the stove b and c and 0* are corresponding valves in the gas and air supplies to stove 0 whereby the supply of gas and air and therefore the temperature of the stoves can each be regulated.

w is a gas circulating pump arranged belant is arranged to economically.

tween the pipes I1 and if. An additional pump 50 may, if desired be placed between the-regenerator r and pipe h.

72 is a by-pass pipe with valves [1 whereby the outlet of the regenerator can be connected to theinlet of the gas circulating device 50. l

p is a controlling valve in the pipe h i is a purifier forming part of the closed conduit and charged with material, for example lime or equivalent, for removing sulfur from the regenerated gas.

g is an inclined rotary heater for preliminarily heating and purifying the charge.

it is a supplementary stove containing an air heating pipe 0; 0 are gas producers, and is electric furnaces. Combustible gas from the producers 0 is led by valve controlled pipes 25 through inlet chambers in to, and burnt in, the stoves b and c. The degree of heat attained can be controlled by varying the supply of air and to the stoves b and c. A hopper y and conveyor .2 deliver ore and flux to the rotary heater gand a .convcyer j delivers the treated charge to the reducing furnace h. Singly feathered arrows indicate the path of. the reducing gases, doubly feathered ones that of heated air, and triple feathered ones that of gases for combustion.

In Fig. 1, air drawn into the conduit e is heated by products of combustion from the stoves Z) and 0, and divided into two main currents. One main current passes along a conduit f, part of it passing to the gas producers 0 after first vaporizing water descending a coke or like tower the vapor and cooled air entering the producers 0 through pipes p thereby forming producer gas and water gas and avoiding clinker for mation. The remaining portion of the said current of air passesthrough a valve controlled pipe in and serves to burn producer gas in the stove Z). The second main air current passes partly through a valve controlled pipe l to burn producer gas in the stove c and the remainder passes to the rotary heater 9 through a pipe f and thence through a pipe g tea chimney d or to the gas pro- ,ducers 0. in the closed reducing gas cycle,

hot carbon monoxid, alone or mixed with carbon, 'dioxid, is delivered to the lower end of the rotary reducing furnace IL and after use therein is, by the pump a; drawn from the furnace and delivered to the gas regen orator r. l.hcnce the gas is either wholly delivered to the pipe 125 in the heating stove c and thence to the reducing furnace 11 or wholly back to the regenerator through the pipe lbs, or some of it may be delivered direct to the furnace h and therei'naii'ider caused to circulate, as long as required, through the pipes h", ]b2 and the regenerator, according to the required'degree of regen;

'eration of the carbon nononid and the relay tive proportions of itand the carbon dioxid in the gas to be re-delivered to the reducmg furnace. By the aid of the valves p and 1? such proportions can be fully controlled.

Surplus gas, due-to the reconversion of carbon d-loxid into carbon monoxid, is removed? at 1) through gas holders w and del vered =througha pipe u and utilized to supplementtlie combustible gases from the producers-:.

Fig. 2, the stove o'serves to heat air for 1 preliminarily heating and purifying the charge only, the producers 0 and principal neat-ing stoves b and 0 receiving their all.

supply, heated or not, from some other source. Combustible gas in excess can be burnt in the princ pal stoves b, c and some of the products of combustlon can, as shown in Fig. 2, be utilized to raise steam in boilers 1 for generating electricity for the electric furnaces, such steam being used for example in turbines 2 driving. dynamos 3.

Fig.',3 resembles Fig. 2'except that hot .gas

passing from the regenerator 7' through pipe 72, to-pipe h in stove b is caused to raise steam in a boiler 4, or to heat alr, which can be utilized as required, and the stove c is V supplied withair from pipe f Iron differs in allotropic condition according to the temperature employed in its reduction, and 1t is important to be 'able to obtain it in any one of such conditions, a result readily attain-- able by the present process. When the desired allotropic condition corresponds with a low temperature treatment, .the second heating stove 0 can be sometimes dispensed with, or not used.

Fig. 4: illustrates one of thegas tight joints between the ends of the rotary reducing fur- 'nace h and the stationary parts through which it passes. The furnace is provided with a flange 6 carrying a packing ring 7 of graphitic asbestos, for example, againstwhichlan endwise movable sleeve'S is pressed by a Weighted bell crank lever'9 engaging a pin 8 on the sleeve. A housing 10 fixedto thewall 5 embraces the sleeve 8, a pack ing ring 10 being arranged between the :leeve and housing, which are preferably protected from heat. by a'ring 11. The outer be arranged. to tilt.

end of the sleeve 8 may, as shown, be water jacketed and provided with a lubricator. he housing 10 can also be jacketed.

Fig. 5 shows means for controlling the connection between the electric furnaces Z 7; and reducing furnace 71. Each furnace In, is is connected by a pipe 1 t to a branch 12 leading from the discharge chamber 13. of the furnace It, such pipe being also connected, by a gas tightjoint 14 to the corresponding electric furnace. Each electric furnace can, for convenience of discharging,

shaped pipe 15 connects, in gas tight manner,

' adjat-ent ends of each pipe 14 andbi'ahhh '12,]each branch haying a valve-l6 for plac-,

A detachable wedge it out of connection with thed-ischarge chamber 13 for effecting repairs or any other purpose. 12 are slide valves of refractory material whereby the reduced charge can be directed to any electric furnace, of which there may be any desired number. Two or more rotary reducing furnaces it may be used and discharged into a common discharge chamber such as 13.

The operation of the apparatus, as illus- .trated in Fig. 1 and Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7' is as fol-lows: -Combustible gas generated in the producerso is burnt, with the aid of air, at

the stove inlets n and after strongly heating the stoves the products of combustion are discharged into the chimney d Air enter ing the inlet of the pipe or conduit 0 is strongly heated in the stove a and then divided into three currentslone of which used to supply the necessary air for the pro-" in opposite direction to the air current frees such charge from moisture, organic matter and oxidizable material. The heated gases employed for reducing the ore are at high temperature-and leave the reducing furnacecooled. in proportion to the chemical work effected and richer in carbon dioxid but poorer in carbon monoxid, -Any surplus gas havingbeen withdrawn from circulation through the device 10, the gases areagain highly heated to enable them to effect the endothermic reaction CO =C+2CO- in the regenerator through which they arethen passed. Since a single circulation may prove ins-ufiicient for the necessary carbon monoxid' regeneration the gases can be wholly .or partly re-circulated through the heating stove Z) and regenerator. The. sufficiently regenerated gas is then re-heated in stove e, deprived o-f-sulfur from the coke in the device '8 and again delivered to the reducing-furnace and so on. It is to be observed concerning the preliminary treatment of the charge for reduction that-since neither the air nor the gaseous productsof its action can pass to the closed reducing cycle, it cannot render the gas in the reduc- For' effecting the reduction-such charge, when preliminarily treated and while still hot, is

delivered to the 4 inclined rotary furnace h of the aforesaid i'eldu cing cycle. and passes I mg cycle 1mpure, a. most important feature.

- in communication responding to the branch 12 of the particular furnace and afterward removing the corresponding short wedge shaped pipe 15 and pipe 14*. In Fig. 7 the reduction furnace is with electric furnace 7c. The reducing gas should be prevented from circulating through the electric furnace or furnaces since its actionis injurious, consequently the element'of treating the'mass, so as to protect it from the reducing gas,

;constitutes a material portion of the coinrocess. The reduced metal when plctewill consist of pure'or practically melte Pure iron and can 'be'removed such or treated with other substance for conversion into steel or any special alloy.

What I claim is:-

1. Plant for reducing metal from its ore, comprising a charge to be treated can be passed and simultaneously agitated during treatment therein, a gas regenerator and pipes connecting said furnace and regenera-tor to form a closed gas-conduit, gas c rculating means in said conduit, means for reheating gas passing through saidconduit prior to its passing through said regenerator, and means for reheating said gas after leaving said regenerator and before reentering the reduction furnace.

2. Plant for. reducing metal from its ore, comprising, in'combination, a reduction furnace, a furnace through which the charge to be treated can be passed and simultanermsly agitated during treatment therein, a gas regenerator, and pipes connecting said furnaee and regenerator' to form a closed gas circuit, a gas circulating device in said conduit, a by-pass between the regenerator out let and the inlet to the gas circulating device, controlling means whereby gas that has passed through the furnace and regenerator can be caused, at will, to flow direct-to the reduction furnace, or back to the regener ator or simultaneously to the reduction furnace and back to the regenerate-r in controllable proportions, a heating stove for heating a portion of the gas conduit at the inlet side of the regenerator, a heating stove for heating the gas conduit between the re generator and the reduction furnace, and means for regulating the heating effect of each stove. v

3, Plant for reducing metal from its me,

furnace through which the chamber, means comprising, in combination, a rotary reduction furnace, a gas regenerator, and pipes connecting said furnace and regenerat-or to form a closed gas conduit, a gas circulating device in said conduit, a bypass between the regenerator outlet and the inlet to the gas circulating device, controlling'means where by gas that has passed through the furnace and regenerator can be caused, at will, to flow direct to the reduction furnace, or back to the regenerator, or simultaneously to the reduction furnace andback to the regenerator in controllable proportions, a heating stove for heating a portion of the gas conduit atthe inlet side of the regenerator, a heating stove for heating a portion of the gas conduit between the gas regenerator and reduction furnace, means for separately regulating the heating effect of each stove and means for delivering excess of gas from said conduit to one of said stoves.

4:. Apparatus for reducing metal from its ores. comprising in series arrangement'an oxidizing chamber adapted to be heated internally by pure hot air and a reducing chamber, means for delivering oxidized ore from said oxidizing chamber to said reducing chamber While preventing mingling of the gases of the oxidizing chamber with gases of the reducing chamber, cyclic reducing means closed against a-ir admission comprising said reducing'chan'iber, a regenerator, a gas circulator; means connecting the outlet of said reducing chamber with-the inlet of the regenerator means connecting the outlet of the regenerator with the inlet of the reducing chamber, and means for heating the circulating gases after leaving the reducing chamber and before redelivcryn to same. i

. 5. Apparatus for reducing metal from its ores comprising in series arrangement an oxidizing chamberadaptcd to be heated internally by pure hot air, and a reducing for agitating the charge while passing through said chambers means for delivering oxidized ore from said oxidizing chamber to said reducing chamber while preventing mingling of the gases of the oxidizing chamber with gases of the reducing chamber, cyclic reducing means closed against air admission comprising said reducing chamber, a regenerator, a gas circulator; means connecting the outlet of said reducing chamber with the inlet of the regenerator, means connecting the outlet of the regencrator with the inlet of the reducing chamber, and means for heating the circulating gases after leaving the reducing chamber and before redelivery to same.

6. Apparatus for reducing metal from its ores comprising in series arrangement an oxidizingchamber adapted to be heated internally by pure hot air, and a reducing chamber, means for agitating the charge oxidizing chamber tosaid reducing chamber while preventin mingling of the gases of the oxidizing ciamber 1with gases of the reducing chamber, cyelic..-reducing means closed against air admission comprising said reducing chamber, a regenerator, a gas circu'lator; means connecting the outlet of said reducing chamber with the inlet of theregeuerator, means connecting the outlet of the regcnerator with the inlet of the reducing chamber and means located in advance of the regenerator for heating the circulating gases during their passage from the reduc-' ing chamber to the regenerator.-

7. Apparatus for reducing metal from its ores-comprising in series arrangement an oxidizing chamber adapted to be heated internally by pure hot air anda reducing chamber means for agitating the charge while passing through said chambers means for delivering oxidized ore from said oxidizing chamber to said reducing chamber while preventingmingling of the gases of the oxidizing chamber with gases of the reducing chamber, cyclic reducing means closed against air admission comprisingsaid reducing chamber, a regcnerator, a gas circulutor: means connecting the outlet of said 1' lucing chamber with the inlet of the regenerator means connecting the outlet of the regenerator with the inlet of the reducing chamber, means for heating the gases leaving the reducingchamber and before delivering same to the regenerator and means for again heating the gases after leavingthe regenerator and before being redelivercd to the reducing chamber.

8. Plant for reducing metal from its ore, comprising a rotary regenerator, pipes connecting said furnace and gas regenerator to form a "closed con' duit, gas circulating means insaid conduit, stoves-for heating portions of said conduit, a heater into which the charge is fed, a supplementary stove heated by productsof combustion from the first mentioned stoves, an air conduit in said; supplementary stove, means for supplyingheated air from said air conduit to said heater and means for supplying the dried and purified charge from said heater to said reduction furnace.

9. Plant for-reducing metal fiom its ore, comprising a rotary reduction furnmfda gas rege'nerator, pipes connecting said furnace and gas regenerator to form a closed c0nduit, gas circulating means in said conduit, stoves for heating portions of saidconduit, a heater into whichthe charge is fed, a supplementary stove heated by products of comrednction furnace, a gas bustion from the first mentioned stoves, an air conduit in said supplementary stove, means for supplying heated air from said air conduit to said heating stoves, gas producers for delivering gas to the first mentioned stoves, a tower connected to the inlet of said gas producers and through which water is caused to descend and means for delivering heated air from said air conduit to said tower.

.10. Plant for: reducing metal from its ore, comprising a reduction furnace, a gas regenerator, pipes connecting the said furnace and gas regenerator to form a closed conduit, a gas circulating device in said conduit,

a stove for heating a portion of the conduit between the gas circulating device and gas regenerator, and sulfur absorbing means in said conduit and external to said regenerator. I

11. Plant for reducing metal from its ore, comprising a reduction furnace, a gas regenerator, pipes; connecting the said furnace and gas regenerator to form a closed conduit; a gas circulating device in said conduit,

a stove for heating a portion of the conduit between the reduction furnace and the re generator; a melting furnace into which the reduced metal, gangue and flux can be discharged and means for preventing gas circulating in the conduit from circulating through said melting furnace.

12. Plant for reducing metal from its ore, comprising a rotary reduction furnace, a gas regenerator, pipes connecting said furnace and gas regenerator to form a closed conduit, a gas circulating device in said conduit, a chamber into which said furnace de-- livers reduced .metal, "gangue and flux, a melting furnace and a valve controlled discharge passage between said chamber and furnace and through which reduced metal, gangue and: flux can be delivered into said melting furnace. v

I 13. Plant for reducing metal from its ore, comprising a rotary reduction furnace, a gas regenerator, pipes connecting said furnace andgas regenerator to form a closed conduit, a gas circulating device 1n said conduit, a chamber intowhicli said furnace delivers reduced metal, 'gangue and flux, melting furnaces, a plurality of passages between said chamber and melting furnaces and valves for separately controlling said passages.

Signed at London, of December 1911.

ilUGUSTIN EMILIO BOIURCOUD,

England, this 4th day Oopiesof this patent may be obtained for five cents each,by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

ew new a. plurality of 

